KIERA’S POVLike a flurry of arrows, his words pierced my heart, hitting every nerve connected to it. If there’s anything I dreaded more than my life back home, it was the haunting memories of the horrors I endured in that hellhole. It was a nightmare.He released a heavy sigh before entering the car and waited as I walked cautiously to the car, my legs trembling.As I settled into the car, beads of tears formed in my eyes, however, the deep measured breath he took was enough to relay the magnitude of his simmering anger.After a few seconds of regaining his composure, he started the engine and drove off. The oppressive silence and tension in the car were almost unbearable, and I silently prayed we’d arrive at our destination quickly.At last, we pulled up at an estate, and he swiftly hopped out of the car and opened the door for me. He stretched out his hand and I placed mine in his, my gaze pinned on the floor.“Hey,” he said gently, lifting my chin with his finger.“I’m sorry I la
MIGUEL’S POVI sat in the dimly lit room, smoke curling around me as I took a long drag from my cigarette. I gulped down a glass of whiskey relishing the fiery sensation as it coursed down my throat. Just as I flicked the ash from my cigarette, the door swung open, and Joe walked in. The look on his face was evident enough for me to know that he had something to say.“Speak up, before I lose my patience,” I said.Clearing his throat, his voice came forth, “Kiera showed up at the wedding venue.”Her name pulled a string in my heart, and I simply nodded and poured myself another round of whiskey.If I’ve ever felt any form of affection towards any woman, it would be Kiera. Cold as my heart may be, she fascinated me. Her beauty, innocence, her perception of the world, and everything about her made her special. But the affection I had for her was no match compared to the hatred I have for Gabriel. Despite the fact that our families have been sworn rivals for ages, the bastard was also res
GABRIEL’S POV“What?”She withdrew from my grasp, her eyes blazing with disbelief.I had certainly taken her by surprise. I realized that she would never feel comfortable unless I opened up to her. I needed her for so many reasons, and I didn’t want her escaping again—she had a knack for that. So, what better way to keep her than to ask her to marry me?“Are you out of your mind? I just told you I don’t want any part in this, and you’re asking me to marry you?” Her gaze narrowed, disbelief etched on her face.I let out a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure. “I need you to be calm.”“How can I be calm? You just dropped a bomb on me!” She protested, her feet tapping anxiously against the floor.“Do you find me so unattractive? Don’t I possess the qualities you seek in a man?”She shot me a glare, her voice sharp.“It has nothing to do with that. I don’t know anything about you. I don’t trust you, let alone love you.”“No one’s talking about love here,” I replied, frustration bu
GABRIEL’S POVMy gun was still pointed at him as he took a step forward.“One more step, and I’ll put a bullet between your f*cking eyes.”Staring narrowly, I read every twitch his body made.“Who the hell are you?” I roared, my voice echoing in the building.He hesitated. Next, I saw his hand creeping towards his pocket and I clicked the gun as a warning, my gaze unwavering on him.All at once, he pulled out a small pouch and flung it towards me, and it landed at my feet.“That’s just a fraction of Miguel’s diamonds,” he said, his voice trembling slightly.What? How did he get his hands on Miguel’s diamonds? Unless he…I exchanged glances with my informant, skepticism etched across his face as his brows knitted together.I lowered myself to pick up the pouch, the gun still trained on the stranger. With a flick of my wrist, I opened it, and I couldn’t suppress my shock as I caught a glimmer of the diamonds.I raised my eyes to meet his gaze, “How did you find me?” I questioned eagerly
KIERA’S POV“Wow… I didn’t realize it was free-the-body day!!”He said, sarcasm dripping in his tone.I froze, my heart doing dangerous flip-backs in my chest. Why the heck was he still staring?Frantically, I reached for the bed covers, wrapping them around my body, as embarrassment gnawed at my insides.“Have some decency and look away!” I shouted, my cheeks burning.“Decency? From someone who sneaks into my room uninvited?” He shot back.“This is my space. You can’t just barge in without knocking.”“Please, don’t flatter yourself because I'm not moved by you at all. You’re more like a piece of log to me,” he said, his casual arrogance igniting a fire in my chest.“I hate to break it to you, but the feeling is mutual,” I served him, crossing my arms defiantly.He scoffed, shaking his head in a manner that made me want to smack him in the head.“What do you want?” I queried, my tone icy.“Gabriel asked me to take you shopping.”My face twisted into a frown, “Why would he ask you when
My heart pounded frantically as the car screeched to an abrupt halt.“What happened?” I asked, gripping the seatbelt tightly as if it was my lifeline.“Checking the tire pressure,” Damien muttered, his brow furrowed. “Looks like we’ve got a flat tire.”Before I could respond, he flung open the door and hopped out. I watched him inspect the rear tire, his hands moving with anxious precision.When he finally returned, his expression was grave. He pulled out his phone and dialed. “Lewis, we’ve got a flat tire on Oak Street. We need another car, ASAP.”He ended the call abruptly and dialed again.“We’ve got a problem!”He said, glancing at me, and from his tone, I could tell it was Gabriel on the line. “We’ll be on our way once Lewis brings another car. I just wanted to keep you in the loop about the setback.”Their conversation dragged on for a while with bantering in between, and he finally ended the call.I leaned back against my seat, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.“This day j
DAMIEN’S POVPerfect timing!Just when Kiera and I were finally building a connection, these urchins chose to crash our dinner.I had been tough on her, but maybe that was just a wall I built to guard myself against her charms. She had awakened something within me from the first time I caught her sneaking a glance into my room. While I was uncertain about the dynamics of her relationship with Gabriel, one thing stood out: Kiera was my kind of woman—Fierce, attractive, smart, and drop-dead gorgeous. I glanced at Kiera, her relaxed demeanor cracking under the weight of the tension.“Who are they?” She whispered, a mix of curiosity and fear coating her words.“Just stay calm.”I muttered, my eyes narrowing as I focused on the men. Their swagger was a toxic blend of arrogance and menace.In an instant, the shortest one, a hideous figure with a steely gaze, stopped in front of our table, prompting me to rise to my full height.“Well, well, if it isn't one of the Nyx Princes,” he snarled.H
ELISE’S POVI wasn’t fully asleep when Miguel entered the room. The scent of alcohol clung to him, and I wondered where he had been all day. We had barely spent time together since we got married; he was either too busy or too tired.I peeked at him through my half-closed eyelids as he stripped off his clothes and headed into the bathroom.The door clicked shut, and for a moment, silence swallowed our space whole.Then, his phone chimed. I darted my gaze toward the bathroom, my heart racing as it chimed again.Curiosity clawed at me. What had he been up to? I reached for his phone, the screen lighting up with a message from Joe:[There’s been no sign of Kiera.]Suddenly my heart tumbled, as several lines appeared on my forehead.Why would Miguel be looking for Kiera? Contempt simmered within me as I thought of her. She had always been papa’s perfect girl, his golden child, while I was left in her shadow. Despite all the hell Mom and I put her through, Kiera always seemed to come out on